Automatic loop variation compensating mechanism for knitting machines



June 27, 1933. J l I AUTOMATIC LOOP VARIATION GOMPENSATING MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Dec. 8 Sheets-Sheet l June 27, 1933. J. GIFT 1,915,415

7 AUTOMATIC LOOP VARIATION COMPENSATING MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Dec. 31, 1951 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 27, 1933. .J. GIFT 1,915,415

AUTOMATIC LOOP VARIATION COMPENSATING MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Dec. 31, 1931 8 shee'ts sheet 3 gwuento a June 27, 1933.

J. GIFT AUTQMATIC LOOP VARIATION COMPENSATING MECHANISM FOR .KNITTING MACHINES Filed Dec 1951 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 June 27, I933. J. GIFT 1,915,415

AUTOMATIC LOOP VARIATION COMPENSATING MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Dec. 31, 1931 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 J gm vent o1 dttotwaq ED111116 27, 1933:. J. GIFT 1,915,415

AUTOMATIC LOOP VARIATION COMPENSATING MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Dec. 31, 1931 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 June 27, 1933. .1. GIFT 1,915,415

' AUTOMATIC LOOP VARIATION COMPENSATING MECHANISM FOR. KNITTING MACHINES Filed Dec. 51, 1931 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 fjigmlfiw gwuewto'v Patented June 27, 1933 A UNITED STATES JOHN GIFT, OF SOUTH TEMPLE, PENNSYLVANIA AUTOMATIC LOOP VARIATION ,COMPENSATING MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES My invention relates to the art of knitting, particularly to full fashioned knitting machines, and it particularly has reference to a means for regulating the size of the loop.

1 Knitting machines of the kind for which my invention has been devised usually employ a loop regulating mechanism which 1S under manual control by which the number of loops per inch may be varied at the will of :150 the operator, see for example the mechanism disclosed in United States Patent No. 1,417,- 289 to Zwicky, May 23, 1922. Such loopr egulating mechanism (called loop regulating motion in the trade) has provisions for manually adjusting the machine to knit a definite range of loops per inch, as for example thirty to forty-eight per inch, and it also has provisions for changing the range itself say from 48- to 3%52 for example.

' In the machines which use the loop regulatin motion of the Zwicky patent the-shift range to compensate for changes in the loop due to changes in the size of yarn used are made by the operator. No provision, howr, is made in the Zwicky apparatus to automatically compensate for changes in the loop which are caused by atmospheric conditions. r My invent on, therefore, has for 1ts primary object to provide "a mechanism for automatically actuating the loop regulating motion so as to always knit the same number of loops per inch for which the machine a set regardless of changes in weather condltions effecting the silk.

Further, the invention has for its ob ect to provide such an automatic mechanism which is governed by the correlative speeds of rotation of the cam shaft of the machine (constant speed) and the rotation of the reel shaft (variable speed, see patent to J anssen, No. 1,515,599, November 18, 1924).

Further, it is an object to provide an automatic mechanism for the purpose stated having a manual range setting device whereby the automatic mechanism may be initially set to correspond to theinitial manual setting of the loo regulating motion (Patent No. 1,417,289) and to work in harmony there- Application filed December 31, 1931. Serial No. 584,226.

Further, it is an objectto provide a loop variation compensating mechanism which may be manufactured at a low cost, one which will be economical to maintain and will at all times positively and effectively serve its intended purposes,

Further, it is an object to provide a mechanism for the purpose stated which can be added to the present machines without substfantial modifications or reconstruction there 0 Other objects will in part be obvious and in part be pointed out hereinafter.

To the attainment of the aforesaid objects and ends, the invention still further resides in the novel details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts, all of which will be first fully described in the following detailed description, then be particularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,in which Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the general lay-out of my mechanism, so much of the known knitting machine parts as is necessary to an understanding of my invention being indicated.

Figure 2 is an enlarged elevation of the bank of ratchet wheels, the pawls cooperating therewith and so much of the cam shaft of the machine as cooperates with the same.

Figure 3 is a cross section on the line 33 ofFigure 2. Y

Figure 4 is a detail View showing how the rocker shaft cam roller arm is shiftable along the rocker shaft to be brought into and moved out of operative position with relation to the cam on the cam shaft.

Figure 5 is an enlarged elevation of a portion of my apparatus.

Figure 6 is a vertical section substantially on the line 66 of Figure 5. V 9 Figure 7 is a detail plan View of one part of the invention. 7

Figure 8 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the cam levers, operating cams and equalizer devicei Figure 9 is a detail sectional view on the line 99 of Figure 7 parts shown in elevation.

Figure is a diagrammaticview of an other embodiment of my invention.

Figure 11 is an enlarged elevation of a of the modified form.

Figure 13 is a detail cross section and part elevation of the modified form.

Figure 14 is a detail elevation of the main actuating cam and certain of its related parts as used in my modified form.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in which like numerals and letters of reference indicate like parts in all of the figur'es, 1 represents the usual cam shaft'of the machine, 2 the usual take-up or draw-offreel shaft and 3 the usual adjusting screw of the loop regulating motion, the screw numbered 3 in the accompanying drawings correspondingto the screw numbered 35a in Figure 5 of Letters Patent No.1,417,289;

In adapting my invention to full fashioned knittingmachines of the kind-referred to I rovide a cam 4 which 1' secure on the cam shaft 1 and this cam causes the operation of one section of my apparatus. g

5 is a suitable support on which is pivoted,

vat 6, a rocker 7 which carries a cam roller 8 that'is constantly :held in contact with the cam 4 by'a rocker spring 9. The rocker 7 fcarriesia pivot stud. on which is mounted the actuating pawl 11. This pawl has a collar 10 that is slidable along the stud under manual control through the medium of the pawl setting lever 12 which is pivoted at '13 and cooperates witha dial 14 graduated in loops per inch, which :dial corresponds with the normal. range of stitchescontrolled by the loop regulating motion. V

Mounted in suitable 'bearings15is a ratchet wheel driven shaft3l6' on which is loosely mounted a bank of ratchet wheels 17. Secured .to the bankof ratchet wheels is a driving pinion 18 which meshes with an intermediatedouble gear 20 that in turn meshes with the driven gear 19, the intermediate gear 20 being mounted to turn on a suitable stud carried bythe bracket 21. The gears a suitable one .ofthe ratchet wheels to 'pre-- vent backward rotation of the shaft 16 when the pawl 11 isoperating on airatchet wheel. 23'designates the pawl releasing cam shaft which carries a bevel cam 24: and which is turned by an arm 25 through a suitable power connection 26with the setting rod 27. The adj usting-screw-turn1ng-pawl-operating means includes ashaft 28a which is connected by lever and link means 28Z)'280 (or their equivalents) with a shaft 28. The shaft 28 has a key 29 to prevent relative rotation of the shaft in the bearing of the cam roller arm 30, the cam roller armv30 being slidable along the'shaft aadistance suflicient to enable it to bebrought with its roller 31 into register or moved out of register with the cam 4, as conditions may require, the said movement of the cam roller arm 30 on the shaft being eifected by'means of a cam-shifting powertransmitting means 32, this means including a rod having a bar 32a for a purpose presently explained. i

The shaft 28aohas a pawl-carrier-reciproeating arm 33 secured to it which pro1ects into aslot -in the pawl carrier 34 so that by the rocking shafts 28'28a through the action of, the cam L on the roller 31 the pawl carrier 34 will be reciprocated down and up. The pawl carrier 34 may be held against a suitable support by a stud 36 in an elongated slot 35 as indicated. I

37a-37b represents a pair of adj ustingscrew-turning pawls which arepivoted at 38 to the pawl carrier 34land which have ratchet wheel engaging teeth 39 shown in Figures 1 an 5. v y

In carrying out my invention I provide a ratchet wheel ll on the screw 3 (this may be the slacker adjusting wheel now used, the element 53 in Patent 1,417,289) or it may be an addition thereto as indicated in the accompanying drawings. l2al2b and 4346-43?) constitute a ush-pull power transmitting 'means for e ectmg the positioning of the power transmitting means 33, arerespec- .tively operated by a pair of controller pawl levers 414a and 4 1?) respectively,these levers being mounted on a common pivotal axis 45 and may have cam fingers 46at6b for cooperation with the controller cams 51a and 51?) respectively. t e

4;7a17b "are equalizer rods connected to the pawl levers 44a and 446 respectively and constitute parts of an equalizer device. of which the cross trees 48 and 49, connecting rod 50 and equalizer connecting rod 40 constitute other parts, there being an equalizer spring 40a provided to exert a tension on the rods yak-4:76 and 40.

The controlling cams 51a and 511) are of practically the same construction. The cam 51a is keyed fast to the shaft 16. A spring 53a has one end anchored to .a fixed support 71 and the other end anchored to-the cam 51a (ordirectly to theishaft lfiif'desired) .to return shaft 16 and its bank of ratchets and controllingcam 51a to the same normal starting position when pawls 11 and 22 are lifted and lever 44a is lifted from cam 51a. The canr51b has a hub 54 and is loose on the shaft 16. The hub 54 constitutes Cheek-311181113 of a clutch device. A spring 53?) has one end connected to the cam 51b and its other end anchored to a fixed support so as to return 51?) to a normal position after each action of the apparatus.

Suitable adjustable stops 53m and 53y limit the distance thev cams 51a and 51?) can return.

Each cam 51a51b has a recess 52 for cooperation with the respective fingers 46a46b of the cam controller levers 44a44b so that when the recess of the cam is brought into alignment with the finger, the finger 46a; or 46?), as the case may be, will drop into its recess 52a52b.

.56 is a shiftable clutch element free to slide and rotate on the shaft 16 into and out of engagement with the clutch element 55. The shift-able clutch element 56 has a sprocket portion over which and over a sprocket 58 on the draw-off reel shaft 2 takes a chain 57 whereby the element 56 will be driven from the draw-off reel shaft.

The clutch element 56 is shifted into and out of engagement with the element 55 by a clutch shifting lever 59 fulcrumed at 60 and connected to the setting rod 27 hereinbefore referred to, the setting rod being constantly urged in a direction to declutch by means of a suitable spring 61, there being a handle 62 provided, bymeans of which the setting rod may be moved toclutching position manually, or the setting rod may be moved to clutching position through the medium of the chain. control by having a push rod 63 connected to a lever 64 fulcrumed at 65 and operated by a stop 72 on the chain 73 of the chain control, the latter action therefor being automatic. There are as many blocks or stops 72 located on the chain at suitable intervals automatically to repeat the action of my compensating apparatus as frequently, during the knitting of the material, as may be desired.

Mounted rigidly in a position between the cams 51a and 51b and constituting a bearing for the shaft 16 is a stationary member 66 which may have a recess for the finger of the action stopping or cancelling pawl lever 69. (If bearing member 66 is of a small enough diameter then the recess may be dispensed with, see Figure 1). This lever has its cam finger 7 O of sutficient width partly to overlie the cams 51a and 51b in order to cooperate with the auxiliary recesses 68a68b of those cams in a manner and for a purpose which will presently be understood.

The rod 40 of the equalizer device connects to the cam lever 69 which actuates the shaft 32 in the same manner that the push-pull power mechanism 44a-44b actuates the shaft 32. The plate or r elease bar slide 76 has a slot 77 to receive a suitable stud or studs in order that the slide may be moved down for the purpose of releasingthe latch 67 (see Figure 1) and thereby allow spring 61 to Either of the pawl levers 44a44b and .69 am will operate the rod 32 when any of their fingers 4641-46?) and 70 drop into their respective recesses. WVhen the rod 32 is forced back to normal position the cross bar 32a will lift the fingers of either pawl lever 44a44b or 69 out of the recess in the cam in which it might at that time be and swing the pawls 37a37b out of contact with the ratchet wheel or indexing disk 41.

67 is a latch which cooperates with the stop 78 on the rod 27 and is operated by a link connection 79 with the slide 76. A spring 80 is provided to return the latch 67 to its normal position when released.

Operation Assume that the attendant has set the loop regulating motion of the machine (Pat-ent 1,417,289) to knit 48 loops let us say per inch. He then sets the lever 12 to forty-eight on the dial 14 which locates the pawl 11 over the corresponding one of the ratchet wheels of the bank 17. The machine is now ready to proceed with the knitting. Let us also assume that the indexing disk (53 in Pat ent 1,417,289) has been properly set to suit the normal atmospheric condition. At this time and under such normal condition the movement being imparted to the shaft 16 by the cam driven ratchet and pawl devices 1117, and the movement imparted to the clutch element 56 by its sprocket and chain connection with the shaft 2, are the same. The rod 27 having been moved (either by hand lever 62 or automatically through the chain controlled motion rod 63) to engage the clutch, cams 51a and 51?) turn in unison.

Assume also, for the moment, that can) levers 44a and 44?) have their fingers 46a and 46?) out of the recesses 52a-52b and riding over the uninterrupted periphery portions of thecams 51a and 511). If the normal conditions continue the recesses 52a52b will travel together, but. before either of the fingers 46a and 46?) can drop into such recesses Y the finger 70 will have dropped into the auxiliary recesses 68a, 68?) (the auxiliary recesses being slightly in advance of the recesses 52a52b) which causes the pawllever 69 to move the shaft 32 by engaging with the cross rod 32a, so that either cont-roller pawl lever 4;4a44 b or 69 will move said rod 32 and will bring the'roller 31 into line with the cam 4, thus causing pawl carrier 34 to be :moved downwardly, striking release bar 76 and tripping latch ,67 whether or not the pawls 37a, 37 b are engaged with-the ratchet wheel 41. Depressing'the slide 76 causes a release of the latch 67 and spring 61 causes a declutching between the clutch element -56 and alifting of pawls -l1 and 22 from the bank of ratchet wheels. The machine now continues to knit until the article is finished. When a new article is started the rod 27 at the proper time is again moved to initiate the operation of the invention as before described.

If, after the initial manual setting of the loop regulating motion and of the lever 12 as above described, atmosphericconditions shall have changed from normal, then as soon as my apparatusshall have been thrown into action by the shifting ofthe shaft 27 to a clutching position (also pawl 11 dropping position), then one or the other of the cams 51a and 51b willtravel faster and they-will v consequently get out of step with one another. VVhenthis occurs the finger 7 0 will, of course, be unable to fall into the recesses 68a-68/) and no action of the pawl lever 69 will occur. Let us now assume, for the sake of illustration, that cam 51a is the leading cam. Then the recess 52a of that cam will receive the finger 46a before the recess 52b of the cam 51?) can come beneath the finger 416?). As finger 46a comes into register with recesses 52a of the cam 51a, cam lever 4464 will be rocked forward; this will cause rod 32a to be pushed until roller 31 is brought into register with cam 4. As soon as roller 31 registers with cam 4 a rocking motion will be imparted to the shafts 28-28a to reciprocate the pawl carrier 34. At the same timethe pawl lever 44a will, through the power transmitting means 43a, 42a have brought the pawl 2370!. with its projection 39 into engagement with the ratchet wheel41 so that as the pawl carrier 34 is reciprocated the wheel tlwvill be turned counterclockwise in Figure 1 one step to adjust the loop regulating motion to compensate more or less for changed condition of the silk; the action being automatically repeated when the chain control connection is used until shaft 2 again turns at it-snormal speed with relation to that of the cam shaft.

Of course it will. be understoodtheshafts 2 and 16 turn by an intermittent or step-bystep movement and the bank of ratchet wheels and the gear train between them and shaft 16 are designedthat under normal. condition shafts 2 and 16 turn in unison.

By the time the finger46a has entered recess 52a of cam 51a the impulses given to shafts 2 and 16 will have ceased. This gives time for the pawl 37a to be actuated one reciprocation down and up. During the down stroke it first turns screw 3 counterjusting wheel 41 because of the rod 32 lifting the finger 46a out of the recess 52a This completes one cycle of operation.

Of course, as soon as pawl levers 44a, 44b and 69 are restored to normal, they disengage the .cams 51a and 51b, and springs 53a and 536 will function to return those cams and shaft 16 to their normal starting positions.

F rom, the foregoing'description, taken in connection withv the accompanying drawings, it is thought the construction, operation'and advantages of my invention will be clear to those skilled in the art.

In conclusion I might say the handle of the loop regulating motion which is moved manually by the knitter to set the machine for the loose and tight portions of the stocking, is the handle hlshown in Patent 1,417,289. The small indexing disk or star wheel 53 in that patent movesin unison with the handle and is itself turned manually in the present machines for thefine adjustment. To illustrate, if the throttle handle, as it is called in practice, is set in the loose position the machine may knit thirty courses per ,inchyif it is swung over to the tight position it may knit forty-eight courses per inch. This is called the range of the slacker handle or throttle. Now this range may be changed by turning the indexing disk (53 in the Zwicky patent) to a ti hter or looser position. For instance by turning the indexing disk one may change therange of 3048 to 34-52 courses per inch, etc. 1

The take-up or draw-off reel shaft 2 is operated by a weight device in the machines as now constructed, see Janssen Patent 1,515,- 599. It will be seen that the looser the stockings are being knit the faster the draw-off reel shaft will revolve and naturally the faster the cam 51?) of my invention will travel. The cam 51a always travels at the same speed, that is as long as it is driven'by a certain ratchet 17. If the changing handle 12 of my device is moved to bring the pawl to another ratchet for a different style of work, tighter or looser, the speed of the cam 51a will be correspondingly altered. Thus it can be plainly seen that one cam 51a counts the courses while the other cam 51?) measures the inches so to speak. If a humidity condition changes the number of courses per inch in the knitted fabric, my invention will detect it because the cams 51a and 516 will not then travel at the same relative speeds and they must travel at the same relative speeds if the number of loops or courses per inch is normal. My device therefore compensates for the condition mentioned and, automatically moves the adjusting screw of the loop regulating motion for either a looser or tighter adjustment, as the case may be.

In Figure et seq. I have shown another embodiment of my invention in which the resetting to normal position of the parts is effected by positive action and the setting of the parts into operation is effected by spring means, in this way adding a safety factor to the invention which is not present in preceding embodiment.

In this latter embodiment of my invention those parts which correspond to similar parts in the first embodiment bear the same refer- 5T1 ence number plus 100 for convenience of reference and comparison.

In the present embodiment of the invention under discussion the shaft 127 operates as before but the spring 161 is connected to act reversely, i. e. to throw in the clutch 156;

the latch'block 178 is also reversed and the latch 167 is placed to hold the rod 127 with the clutch out and with the spring 161 ten sioned. In order to release the rod 127 so 3 that it may function under the influence of the spring 161 ti throw in the clutch 156, and

' 161 will be enabled to act for the purpose of clutching the elements 156 and 155.

In the embodiment of the invention now under discussion the rod 182 is returned by positive action in a manner now to be explained.

I provide another rock shaft 88 which is a resetting shaft and carries an articulated arm 84 the articulations being hinged to gether as at 85 so that the outer or free section of the arm which carries the roller 86 may be swung back and forth over the face i of the cam 104 in order to bring the roller 86 at times into operative relation to the path of the hump of the cam 104.

The shaft 88 is urged in a direction tendingto press the roller 86 against the cam by means of a suitable spring device 87, a stop 88 holding the roller 86 clear of the cylindrical surface of the cam 104 so that it may be engaged only by the hump of the cam when it comes around and when in position to receive such engagement.

The shaft 88 has an arm 89 which, through a rod and lever system 9091 of suitable construction, serves to move the rod 127 against the tension of the spring 161 and declutch the shiftable element 1560f the clutch 156-155.

T have also in the present embodiment of the invention changed the mechanism by which the controller pawls impart their action to the adjusting screw of the loop regulating motion. In the present embodiment of rocker 92 which has diametrically opposite- 1y disposed recesses 92a, and 92b for the teeth 189 of the paw-ls 187a187b. The rocker 92 is crank connected by a suitable'rod 98with a two-way pawl 94, one of whose teeth 94a engages the ratchet wheel 95 (on a screw 96 set into the lever 97 of the loop regulating motion) at one side of its axis and the other tooth 94b engages the same diametrically opposite.- The pawl 94 is fulcrumed on a pawl carrying arm 98 which is pivoted to the screw 96. The screw 96 abuts the end of the usual loop regulating motionscrew 108 (see Fig- .ure 12).

The arm 98 has a wide J notch 98a to cooperate with a narrow spring latch 986 that tends to hold the arm 98 in a definite fixed position but which is sufficiently yieldable to permit the arm to rock within the necessary rocking limits to enable pawl 94 properly to take hold of the teeth of the ratchet wheel 95 when the pawl 94 is being reciprocated through the rod 98 as the pawl carrier 184 is rocked up and down. The rocking of the rocker 92 is effected in one direction or the other by the engagement of one or the other of the pawls 187 a187 b therewith (accordingly as the controller lever 144a144b is acting). The down and up motion is imparted to the pawl carrier slide 184 by the action of the shaft 128a under the influence of the roller 181 and main cam 104.

On completion of the clown-stroke of the pawl carrier 184 a lug 99 on it presses the release member 176 which causes the actuated arm 84 (through lever and rod system 100a100b100c) to straighten out and bring the roller 86 into the path of the hump of the cam 104 to effect a resetting of the mechanism as before explained.

The friction of the roller 86 while engaging the hump of the cam is suiiicient to prevent too sudden act-ion of the spring 87 which together with gravity, acts on the member 176 which tends to move the roller 86 out of the path of the hump of the cam as soon as the hump has passed the roller 86..

The relative positions of the rollers 108, 181 and 86 are such that the cams hump will act on each in the order stated and in proper corelative timing to cause a proper sequence of operation t0 occur during each cycle.

The rocker. 92 may also be provided with a V notch 92m and a latch 92y so as always tend to keep the rocker in a horizontal or normal position, thereby assisting the latch 98?) and notch 98a to hold arm 98 in a normal position when two way pawl and rocker are not operating. 1

While I have disclosed two embodiments of my invention it is to be understood that I do not limit myself specifically thereto but changes may be made in the details'of con structionand arrangementof parts as may be necessary to place the invention on the present day knitting machines or build it into new machines,-and further changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or'the' scope of the appended claims. as, What Iclaim is: I

'1. Ina full fashioned knitting machine of the type wherein is provided a cam shaft, a draw-off reel shaft, and a loop regulating motion having manual controlling means which includes an adjusting screw; means "forturning said adjusting screw forwards and backwards,and means cooperative with both of saidshafts for operating said screw turning means to accord with variations in W- the loop. 2. In a full fashioned knitting machine wherein is provided a cam shaft, a draw-off reel shaft, a chain motion and a loop regulating motion under manual control; auto- ,matic means which includes separate mechanisms actuated respectively by the cam shaft and the reel shaftrotations for adjusting the loop regulating motion one way or the other, and means operable when said mechanisms e are in step I for rendering said automatic means inoperative.

3. In a full fashioned knitting machine wherein is provided a cam shaft, a draw-off reel shaft, a chain motion, and a loop regu- .lating motion under manual control; automatic means which includes separate mechanisms actuated respectively by the cam shaft and the reel shaft rotations for adjusting the loop regulating motion one way or the other,

and means operable when said mechanisms are in step for rendering said automatic means inoperative, a push rod actuated by the chain of said chain motion, and means operable by said push rod for settingsaid automatic means to operate. V

4. In a full fashioned knitting machine having a cam shaft, a loop regulating motion, and adraw-ofi motion which includes a reel; the combination with the aforesaid parts of means governed by correlative movemerits of the cam shaft and the draw-off reel for adjusting said loop regulating motion for the purposes described. 7

-5. Ina full fashioned knitting machine having a cam shaft, a draw-01f reel shaft, and a loop regulating motion; means governed by the; combined actions of the cam shaft and the draw-off reel shaft for automatically effecting the action of the loop regulating motion to compensate for variations in the condition of the thread loops and maintain constant the number of loops per inch of knit material. 7

6.1'In a full fashioned knitting, machine which has a cam shaft, a draw-off reel shaft ('3 and a loop regulating motion, the latter hav ing a fine adjustment means; mechanism actuated by said cam shaft for moving said fine adjustment means in either direction, means controlled by said reel shaft for governing movement of said fine adjustmentl means in either direction, and means to render said controlled means inactive when the, correlative speeds of said cam and reel shafts are normal.

7 In a full fashioned knitting machine '75 which has a cam shaft, a draw-ofl reel shaft and a loop regulating motion, the latter having a fine adjustment means; mechanism actuated by said cam shaft for moving said fine adjustment means in either direction, means controlled by said reel shaft for governing movement of said fine adjustment means in either direction, and means to render said controlled means inactive when the correlative speeds of said cam and reel shafts are normal, said loop regulating means including manual setting mechanism for different normal number-of-stitches per-inch regulation, and said cam shaft actuated mechanism including a corresponding manual device for setting it to correspond with the manual setting of the loop regulating means.

8. In a full fashioned knitting machine wherein is provided a main'cam shaft, a draw-off reel and a loop regulating motion; means for automatically adjusting the loop regulating motion when the correlative speeds of the cam shaft and the reel vary from a predetermined normal to compensate for the same. i v

9.In a full fashioned knitting machine wherein is provided the usual cam shaft, a draw-off reel, and loop regulating motion; auxiliary means for effecting the fine adjustment of the loop regulating means to compensate for variation in the condition of the loops due to atmospheric changes, and means governed by variation in the corelative speeds of'the cam shaft and the draw-off reel from normal for actuating said auxiliary means.

10. Ina full fashioned knitting machine wherein is provided the usual cam shaft, draw-off reel and loop regulating motion; auxiliary means for effecting the fine adjustment of the loop regulating means to compensate for variation in the condition of the loops due to atmospheric changes, and other means actuated by said cam shaft and said reel respectively forsetting said auxiliary means for action, and means cooperative with said other means for cancelling its setting before it causes action of said governed means when the corelative speeds of the cam shaft and the draw-off reel are normal.

11. Ina full fashioned knitting machine having a cam shaft, a draw-off reel shaft, and a loop regulating motion; means governed by the combined actions of the cam shaft and the draw-off reel shaft for automatically effecting the action of the loop regulating motion to compensate for variations in the condition of the thread loops and maintain constant the number of loops per inch of knit material, and means for render ing said governed means inoperative after each action'thereof.

12. In a full fashioned knitting machine having a cam shaft, a loop regulating motion, a chain motion having a chain, and a draw-off motion which includes a reel; the combination with the aforesaid parts of a push rod actuated by said chain and means governed by corelative movements of the cam shaft and the draw-ofi reel for adjusting said loop regulating motion for the purposes described, and means governed by the push rod for rendering said governed means operative.

13. In a full fashioned knitting machine wherein is provided a cam shaft, a chain motion, a draw-off reel shaft, and a loop regulating motion; means governed by the combined actions of the cam shaft and the draw-off reel shaft for automatically effecting the action of the loop regulating motion to compensate for variation in the condition of the loop and maintain constant the number of loops per inch of knit material, and means actuated by the chain motion for rendering said first mentioned governed means operative.

14. In a full fashioned knitting machine wherein is provided a cam shaft, a draw-off ree'l shaft and a manually actuated loop regulating motion; means automatically to adjust 'said loop regulatlng motlon for var1at1ons of siZe of loop, said means including anadjusting screw for the loop regulating mechanism having a ratchet wheel, a pa1r of reversely acting pawls cooperating with said wheel, a pawl. carrier, means actuated by said cam shaft for imparting movement to said pawl carrier, means governed by rotation of said cam shaft for setting one of said pawls to operate on said ratchet wheel, means governed by rotation of said reel shaft for setting the other of said pawls to operate on said ratchet wheel, and means to render the action of said governed means nil when said cam and reel shafts are rotating at normal corelative speeds.

15. In a full fashioned knitting machine wherein is provided a cam shaft, a draw-off reel shaft and a manually actuated loop regulating motion; means automatically to adjust said loop regulating motion for variations of size of loop, said means including an adjusting screw for the loop regulating mecha nism having a ratchet wheel, a pair of reversely acting pawls cooperating with said pawls to operate on said ratchet wheel, means governed by rotation of said reel shaft for setting the other of said pawls to operate on said ratchet wheel, each of said governed means including a governing cam, a pawl lever, and power transmitting connections between said pawl levers and the respective ones of said pawls.

16. In a full fashioned knitting machine ,wherein is provided a cam shaft, a draw-0E reelsha ft and a manually actuated'loop regulating motion; means automatically to adjust said loop regulating motion for variations of size of loop, said means including an adjusting screw for the loop regulating mechanism having a ratchet wheel, a pair of reversely acting pawls cooperating with said wheel, a pawl carrier, means actuated by said cam shaft for imparting movement to said pawl carrier, means governed by rotation of said cam shaft for setting one of said pawls to operate on said ratchet wheel, means governed by rotation of said reel shaft for setting the other of said pawls to operate on said ratchet wheel, means to render the action of said governed means nil when said cam and reel shafts are rotating at normal corelative speeds, each of said governed means including a governing cam, a pawl lever, and power transmitting connections between said pawl levers and the respective ones of said pawls, said means to render comprising a third pawl cooperating with both of said governing means simultaneously for holding said first mentioned pawls against acting on their ratchet wheel when said governing cams are rotated at a predetermined normal corelative speed.

1?. In a full fashioned knitting machine wherein is provided a main cam shaft, a draw-off reel motion, and a loop regulating motion, said draw-off reel motion including a reel shaft, said loop regulating motion including an adjusting screw and a manually actuated regulating throttle; a rocker cam on said cam shaft, a rocker actuated by said rocker cam, a feed pawl carried by said rocker, a back check pawl, a pawl lifter cam cooperating with both said pawls, aratchet shaft, a bank of ratchet disks secured together as one and mounted loosely on said ratehet shaft, a gear. train operatively connecting said bank of ratchet disks to said ratchet'shaft, a pawl shifter to bring said feed pawl into relation to each ratchet disk as desired, a governing cam mounted on said ratchet shaft to turn therewith, a pawl lever cooperative with said governing cam, a ratchet wheel cooperating with said adjusting screw, a reciprocating pawl carrier having a loop-motion-pawl to engage with said ratchet wheel, power transmit-ting connections between said pawl lever and said loopmotion-pawl to move the same into engagement with said ratchet wheel, a second governing cam mounted loosely on said ratchet shaft, a second pawl lever cooperating with said second governing cam, a second lo0pmotion-pawl on said reciprocating carrier, power transmitting connections between said second pawl lever and said loop-motion-pawl to move thesame into engagement with said ratchet wheel, said second governing cam having a clutch element, a shiftable clutch element loose 011 said ratchet shaft to. co-r operate with said first mentioned clutch element, means actuated by rotation of said draw-oif reel for turning said shiftable clutch element, means to shift said shiftable clutch element into engagement with said first mentioned clutch element, and a loop-motion pawl releasing means including a third pawl lever cooperating with both governing cams to render said loop-motion-pawls inactive when both said governing cams are rotating at thesame speed. 7 j

18. In a full fashioned knitting machine wherein is provided a main cam shaft, a

draw-ofi" reel motion, and a loop regulating motion, said draw-off reel motion including a reel shaft, said loop regulating motion in- Cllldlllgfill adjusting screw and a manually actuated regulating throttle; a rocker cam on said cam shaft, a rocker actuated by said ratchet shaft, a pawlshifter to bring saidfeed pawl into relation to each ratchet disk as desired, a governing cam mounted on said ratchet-shaft to turn therewith, a pawl lever cooperative with said governing cam, a ratchet wheel cooperating with said adjusting screw, a reciprocating pawl carrier having a loop-motion-pawl to engage with said ratchet wheel, power transmitting connections between said pawl lever and said loopmotion-pawl to move the same into engagement with said ratchet wheel, a second governing cam mounted loosely on said ratchet shaft, a second pawl lever cooperating with said second governing cam, a second loop-motion-pawl on said reciprocating carrier, power transmitting connections between said second pawl lever and said loop-motionpawl to move the same into engagementwith c said ratchet wheel, said second governing cam having a clutch element, a shiftable clutch element loose on said ratchet shaft to cooperate with said first mentioned clutch element, means actuated by rotation of Said draw-01f reel for turning said shiftable clutch element, means to shift said shiftable clutch element into engagement with said first mentioned clutch element, and a loop-motionpawl releasing means including a third pawl lever cooperating with both governing cams to. render said loop-motion-pawls inactive when'both said governing cams are rotating at the same speed, and means set into action by said third pawllever for disengaging said clutch and said feed and check pawls.

19. In a full fashioned knitting machine having a cam shaft, a loop regulating motion, and a draw-off motion which includes a reel;

the combination with the aforesaid parts of means governed by corelative movements of the cam shaft and the draw-off reel for adjusting said loop regulating motion, and means for rendering said governed means inoperative after each action thereof.

20. In a'full fashioned knitting'machine of the type wherein is provided a continuously rotating main cam shaft, an intermittently rotating draw-off reel shaft and a loop regulating motion; the combination with the aforesaid structures of means for actuating said loop regulating motion, said last named means including two intermittently .movable governing cams, means actuating one of said cams directly from the draw-off reel shaft, and means actuating the other of said cams indirectly from said main cam shaft, and means cooperating with both said cams and actuated to adjust said loop regulating motion in one direction or the other when said cams get out of step accordingly as the directly actuated cams leads or lags behind the other cam.

21. In a full fashioned knitting machine of the type wherein is provided a continuously rotating main cam shaft, an intermittently rotating draw-off reel shaft and a loop regulating motion; the combination with the aforesaid structures of means for actuating said loop regulating motion, said last named means including two intermittently movable governing cams, means actuating one of said cams directly from the draw-off reel shaft, and means actuating the other of said cams indirectly from said main cam shaft, and means cooperating with both said cams and actuated to adjust said loop regulating motion in one direction or the other when said cams get out of step accordingly as the directly actuated cams leads or lags behind the other cam, and means positively to prevent adjustment of said loop regulating motion while said intermittently movable cams remain in step.

22. In a full fashioned knitting machine having a cam shaft, a loop regulating motion, a chain motion having a chain and a draw-off motion which includes a reel; the combination with the aforesaid parts of a push rod actuated said chain and means governed by corelal'ive movements of the cam shaft and the draw-off reel for adjusting said loop regulating motion for the purposes described, means continuously tending to cause said governed means to act, and means actuated by said pushrod for releasing said governed means continuously tending to cause said governed means to act, and means aciuated by said push rod for releasing said governed means so that the continuously tending means may act to set the mechanism in motion, and means actuated from said cam shaft for effecting a resetting of the mechanism after each action thereof.

24. In a full fashioned knitting machine wherein is provided a cam shaft, a draw-off reel shaft and a manually actuated loop regulating motion; means automatically to adjust said loop regulating motion for variations of size of loop, said means including an adjusting screw forming a part of the loop regulating mechanism and having a ratchet wheel, a reversely acting double pawl cooperative with said ratchet wheel, a rocker, a crank connected rod joining said rocker with said double pawl, a pawl carrier, a pair of pawls on said carrier to cooperate with said rocker, means actuated by said cam and said draw-off reel shafts for selectively setting one or the other of the pair of pawls into engagement with said rocker, means to render the action of said governed means nilwhen said cam shaft and said reel shaft are cooperating in normal cooperative step, means continuously tendin to start the action of the loop regulating motion adjusting means, and positively acting mechanism for resetting said automatically adjusting means after each action thereof.

25. In a full fashioned knitting machine having a continuously rotatable main cam shaft, a loop regulating motion and an intermittently rotatable draw-0E reel motion which includes a reel shaft, and a chain mo tion having a chain; mechanism for automatically actuating the loop regulating motion for variations in the loop caused by atmospheric influences on the thread, said means including a rotatable shaft, means to impart an intermittent rotational movement to said rotatable shaft from said cam shaft, a controller cam secured on said rotatable shaft, a second controller cam loose on said rotatable shaft and having an element of a clutch, a shiftable clutch element rotatable on and slidable on said rotatable shaft, means continuously tendin to hold said rotatable shaft and said controller cams in a normal position with the cams in step, means to drive said shiftable clutch element from said drawclutch elements and to render said inter mittent motion imparting means operative, a'latc-h device for holding said mechanism in the inoperative or set position, operating connections between said latch and the chain of said chain motion for releasing said latch, and mechanical devices controlled and in part actuated by said controller cams and in part actuated by said main cam shaft and operating when said controller cams get out of step for adjusting said loop regulating motion for the purposes described.

26. In a full fashioned knitting machine having a continuously rotatable main cam shaft, a loop regulating motion and an intermittently rotatable draw-0E reel motion which includes a reel shaft and'a chain motionhaving a chain; mechanism for auton'iatically actuating the loop regulating motion'for variations in the loop caused by atmospheric influences on the thread, said means including a rotatable shaft, means to impart an intermittent rotational move ment to said rotatable shaft from said cam shaft, a controller cam secured on said rotatable shaft, a second controller cam loose on said rotatable shaft and having an element of a clutch, a shiftable clutch elementrotatable on and slidable on said rotatable shaft, means continuously tending to hold said rotatable shaft and said controller cams in a normal position with the cams in step, means to drive said shiftable clutch element from said draw-ofi' motion shaft and drive said second controller cam when said shiftable clutch element is engaged with its cooperating clutch element of the second controller cam, mechanism continuously tending to engage said clutch elements and to render said intermittent motion imparting means operative, a latch device for holding said mechanism in the inoperative or set position, operating connections between said latch and the chain of said chain motion for releasing said latch, mechanical devices controlled and in part actuated by said controller cams and in part actuated by said main cam shaft and operating when said controller cams get out of step for adjusting said loop regulating motion, and other means governed by a part of said mechanical devices and actuated by said main cam shaft for resetting said continuously tending mechanism after each adjustment of the loop regulating motion.

27. In a full fashioned knitting machine having a continuously rotatable main cam shaft, a loop regulating motion and an intern'iittently rotatable draw-ofl reel motion which includes a reel shaft, and a chain motion having a chain; mechanism for auto-.. matically actuating the loop regulating motion for variations in the loop caused by. atmospheric. influences on the thread, said 5 means including a rotatable shaft, means to impart an intermittent rotational movement to said rotatable shaft from said cam shaft, :1 controller cam secured onsaid rotatable shaft, a second controller cam loose 'on said 7 rotatable shaft and having an element ofva clutch, a shiftable clutch element rotatable on and slidable on said rotatable shaft, means continuously tending to holcLsaid rotatable shaft and said .controllercams in a normal position with the cams in step, means to drive said shiftable clutch element from said draw-off motion shaft and drive said second controller cam When said shiftable clutch element is engaged with its cooperating clutch element of the second controller cam, mechanism continuously tending to engage said clutch elements and to render said intermittent motion imparting means operative, a latch device for holding said mechanism inthe inoperative or set position, operating connections between said latch and the chain of said chain motion for releasing said latch, mechanical devices controlled 'and'in partactuated by said controller cams and in part actuated by said main cam shaft and operating when said controller cams get out of step for adjusting said loop regulating motion, and other means governed by a part of said mechanical devices and actuated by said main cam shaft for resetting said continuously tending mechanism after each adjustment of the loop regulating motion, and means actuated by said controller cams'when they are travelling in step for effecting the action of said resetting means to prevent action of the apparatus on the loop regulating motion.

JOHN GIFT. 

